Here at Hogwarts
by novelhead
Summary: Hogwarts; a school where many great Witches and Wizards studied. Now it's Shouta Aizawa's turn. He expects his experience to be nothing spectacular. However, that's before he meets 3rd-year Toshinori Yagi. His expectations are turned upside down. It is then when Shouta learns the hardship of life and loss. Erasermight Hogwarts!AU. Alternates between past and present.
1. Chapter 1: Where They Sat

**A/N: Welcome! I hope that you enjoy reading this story. As mentioned in the summary this story will alternate between past and present, however I will specify as to which timeline the part of the chapter is. This first chapter is relatively short, but I promise that the following chapters will be longer. Please R &R.**

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(Present)

Hogwarts; a school where many students come to learn the magical arts of Wizards and Witches and leave highly skilled, prepared to defend the world of the magical and Muggle against the dark arts that threaten the peace of their state. Even though Muggles are not aware of the hard work that Witches and Wizard put in to protect the world, there are some who do possess magical abilities. Even though the allowance of Muggles into Hogwarts and other magical institutions is a controversial topic within the realm of magic in the world, it has become accepted over time. This can all be contributed events that occurred years ago at the number one school for magic, the castle that can only be accessed via the express named after the titular school, which is found on an island, isolated from all other buildings. This is Hogwarts. And this night is a once in a lifetime opportunity for many, as it is the sorting ceremony. A new group of first-year students are just outside the giant doors to the Great Hall, waiting to walk in and receive the annual welcome from the Headmaster, staff and current students, who sat at their respective house tables of Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff, lining the incredibly long hall, students filling almost every seat.

Sitting close to the end of the table that was placed in the front of the hall, Aizawa Shouta was huddled into his long, black cloak and robes, an old grey knit scarf wrapped snugly around his neck and his black hair tied back, off of his face so he could be somewhat presentable to the group of both incoming and returning students. The noise of chattering students catching up from a long summer break and his coworkers and friends Yamada Hizashi and Kayama Nemuri chatting loudly together joined together in Aizawa's ears, irritating the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Sighing deeply, Aizawa opened his eyes, glancing over at Hizashi and Nemuri to see them spot this attempt at ignoring everyone to simply get through the sorting ceremony. It was at this moment, he knew he should have kept his eyes shut.

"Aye, Shouta! You're finally awake! Just in time for the ceremony," Hizashi cheered, leaning over to his friend and placing an arm around his shoulders, knowing that these actions pushed Aizawa's buttons. Unfortunately for Aizawa, he couldn't blast away Hizashi, so he let him do this, plotting for later. Grunting softly, Aizawa shrugged while flicking his sight back to the doors, anticipating the arrival of the new students. It seems like Thirteen must be dealing with more difficult students this year, considering her welcome speech usually doesn't take much time.

"Great," Shouta muttered, "another ceremony. Why can't we just get through this without all the pomp and circumstance?"  
Nemuri rolled her eyes, leaning toward Aizawa before arguing, "Shouta, you know how much this means for students. Besides, I heard that a few Muggle-born children were accepted this year." Aizawa's eyebrow shot up at this. Even though Hogwarts preached about the acceptance in its environment, Aizawa saw that it would take much more than letting one or two muggle-borns in. Before he could reply, Nemuri cut him off once more with a deep sigh, placing her chin in her palm as she leaned on the table, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Don't you remember our time here?" she asked, reminiscing upon their shared past, "It was…extraordinary." Hizashi nodded with enthusiasm, starting to talk about their times, but Nemuri's statement made Aizawa's mind and sight wander away from his house table to another; Gryffindor's. It was the sight of many brave young men and women sitting at that table that brought Aizawa back to his time at Hogwarts as a student. They knew of one of the most famous figures that came from their house. The story was that of a legend, it was a rite-of-passage to hear about the All Might. His real name was unknown to many, but Aizawa knew the entire story, considering he was apart of it.  
Before Shouta could continue with this reminiscing of his, the door opened, and the crowd of students walking in with Thirteen leading them. Here they were, the future. It would take time, but looking at them Aizawa could tell that there was potential. That, or he could simply put in a recommendation to expel those who did not display such promise. Shouta was no stranger to doing that. Perhaps it could be considered cruel to some, but to him, that was just how the world worked. It was cruel, it took without a second thought. Shouta was all too aware of the unfair circumstances of the world and the people that inhabited it. Eyes returning to the Gryffindor table, Shouta swore he saw the lanky body and unruly blonde hair of Toshinori, but blinking a few times in surprise the sight went away. Great, his own eyes and mind were turning against him.

"Hey, the Headmaster is talking," Hizashi whispered, urging his friend to pay attention to Nezu's welcome speech to the students. The animagus was eccentric in his welcome message, his body shaking slightly at the prospect of new students and the talent they all had.

"Right, just let me think," Shouta murmured, placing his arms on the table, holding his hands together as he tried to distract his mind with thoughts that weren't about what he was currently missing. Squeezing his hands tightly, releasing the tension, then repeating those steps, Aizawa was trying his hardest to think of anything other than sunflowers and blue skies.

Scanning over the crowd of newcomers, a small boy caught Aizawa's eyes. His wild green hair, freckled face, and a small, anxious body was certainly something that he felt he might have to challenge. No true hero grew without a real struggle. And, here at Hogwarts, that is exactly what Shouta planned to implement in his class.


	2. Chapter 2: What He Got

**A/N: Thanks to everybody so much for reading the first chapter of this! Here is the second. Slightly longer but not as long as I'd like, so hopefully when the story continues I can keep on adding to the word count. Please enjoy and R &R :)**

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(Past, November 8th)

"Shouta! Shouta!"  
A loud rapping on the wooden door to Aizawa Shouta's room woke up said boy. His scraggly black hair was tangled in random places, obscuring his vision. All Shouta could see was strands of his own hair passing in front of his eyes, the dark room with streams of sunlight managing to break past the heavy navy blue curtains, being the only element providing a semblance of light in his room at the moment. What was going on? Shouta tried to sort out his thoughts, remembering why his mother was knocking on his door, her voice filled with excitement. But why? Glancing over to the side table next to his bed, Shouta saw that his alarm clock read 7:00 A.M. in big, right red numbers. Sighing deeply, Shouta pushed the mop of hair out of his face and pushed his blankets off of his body, slowly and reluctantly. Not being a morning person, Aizawa's head was pounding from just waking up, his thoughts and body feeling hazy. Just as this feeling was passing, another round of loud knocks brought back the headache.

"Aizawa Shouta, wake up right now and come downstairs!" His mother called once more. Waiting a few more seconds, Shouta finally swung his feet over the side of his bed, resting them on the cool wooden floor, giving a shock to wake him up even more. Shouta was very tempted to wrap his blanket around himself and curl up into a ball on his bed to fall asleep once more. Anytime before eight in the morning was way too early to wake up. However, he didn't want his mother to pound on his door for the third time, so Shouta summoned all his strength to push his body off of his comfortable mattress, swaying slightly as he stood before gaining solidity to his stance. After putting on his slippers, Aizawa shuffled over to his closet, opening it to contemplate what to wear for the day. Why did his mother sound so excited? Pulling out a pair of black jeans and a plain black t-shirt, the young Aizawa quickly changed out of his pajamas and into his clothes. He then took his time, leisurely making his bed and throwing his pajamas into his laundry basket. Finally, he ran a comb through the thick mess of hair on his head, tugging roughly at certain knots and tangles that wouldn't let up. Pausing as he stared at himself in his mirror at his desk, Aizawa was still confused as to why his mother was so adamant to wake him up so early. He did have elementary school today, but usually, he didn't wake up until eight. As far as he knew, it was a normal Tuesday. Wait, Tuesday, in November…it was the 8th. The 8th of November. Before Shouta could continue with the horrifying revelation, he heard his mother's footsteps approaching his door once more, one foot after the other coming closer and closer, taking the stairs at an almost anxiety-inducing pace, as if she was tormenting him without even saying another word. Leaping out of his desk chair, at a very fast pace that most would never expect out of the nonchalant boy, Aizawa jumped and hopped over to the door, struggling to put his socks on. Once he reached the door, he yanked it open, meeting the irritated face of his mother, her dark eyebrows furrowed together in disappointment at her son and her hands rested at her hips.

"Aizawa Shouta, how many times have I had to come up here? Hurry up and get downstairs young man, I'm sure you know why." With that she turned on her heels, her black cloak flowing behind her. Of course, even on his day, she still had work. In the line of work that Shouta's mother dealt with, there was no day off. Stepping out of his room and closing his door behind him, Aizawa silently followed his mother, keeping his head level as he stared at her back, her long black hair tied into a bun on her head, but a few strands broke free, swishing left and right with her cloak with each step. The white walls of the upstairs were decorated immaculately, they could easily distract anyone who walked the halls with the supreme portraits and pieces that hung off the pristine walls. But for Shouta who witnessed this every day, morning, evening and night, simply ignored the movement in the pictures. His sight was fixated in front of him, the imagination of his mind taking him past his mother and down the stairs to the living room where what he assumed, presents, and more importantly letters, were on the table.

After making it down said stairs and to the expected room, Shouta was not surprised to see about five boxes of varying sizes on the table. But what caught his eye were three envelopes that were placed almost too perfectly front and center on the table. This was the reason for his mother's excitement this morning, forcing him to wake up at the ungodly hour of seven in the morning. Today was a day that Shouta was dreading. It was November 8th, 1985. Also known as Aizawa Shouta's 11th birthday. Today was the inevitable beginning of the rest of young Aizawa's life. Being the son of two pure-bloods, there was no doubt that Shouta was bound to inherit his parents' magical prowess. His mother, a strong witch who worked for the Ministry of Magic, and his father, an auror who made a name for himself in the early years of graduating, met and fell in love at their school of choice. Ironically (not really), said school's letter was the center of the three that resided on the table in front of Aizawa's eyes.  
On the left was a letter from Koldovstoretz, a school in Russia, which Shouta knew that his parents placed just for the appearance that they "supported" any choice that he made. The letter on the right, from Mahoutokoro School of Magic, here in Japan, held the same message in Shouta's gaze. The true message lay in the center of this trifecta. Aizawa already knew the answer was predetermined for him. He could say he wanted to go to one of the other two choices, but with the letter of his parents' alma mater laying in the center, holding the same intensity that Shouta stared at it with, he knew that everything after today, every choice of his, was inevitable. The cursive script on the front addressed the letter to him, at the address of this house, his home, and finally to his room. Something that he always found particularly weird after hearing about it from other kids who attended the school. Reaching forward, Shouta grasped the letter, hearing his mother's sharp intake of air, her anxiety and excitement almost taking Shouta out of his thoughts for a moment, only a moment, before turning the enveloped parchment over, staring at the dark maroon wax, imprinted with the seal of the magic school in Scotland; Hogwarts. Breaking the seal, Aizawa turned to his mother, easing her stress as he took out the parchment, reading the finely written words addressed to him.

"Dear Mr. Aizawa Shouta,  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a light of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1st, 1986. We await your owl no later than July 31st.  
Yours sincerely, Headmaster Nezu."

Placing the letter on the table, Shouta looked at his mother, who returned the look with an expectancy of an answer. Resisting a sigh, Shouta simply nodded his head, hearing his mother clap his hands together, he gave a small smile, trying to support his mother's happiness for him. She then stood up, walked over to him and, being the short lady she was, wrapped her arms around her son, squeezing him.

"I'm so happy for you. Happy birthday, Shouta-kun," his mother said, kissing his forehead and smiling at him proudly, cupping his round face, gently and lovingly rubbing her thumb back and forth on her son's cheek.

"Thanks, okaa-san," Shouta replied, returning his mother's smile with the same amount of familial love. He wished his father was here as well, but he knew that his father's work, just like his mother's, required a great amount of time and energy. Shouta was most likely going to follow his father's footsteps and become an Auror, or perhaps even his mother's and work for the Ministry. Either way, he knew the next few steps required confirming his (no his parent's choice) of attending Hogwarts by sending an owl to Headmaster Nezu. Shouta's heard stories about the eccentric man, but he would have to see it to believe it. His thoughts were promptly cut off when his mother stood up, striding over to the entryway to put on her shoes and broom. She looked expectantly at her son, and he joined her after setting down the letter and grabbing the toast that was set out for him with his favorite toppings of grape jelly and salt. Strange, yes, but there are so many other parts of the world that are stranger, like naming a school Hogwarts of all names. Finishing the toast, Shouta slid his shoes on, looking at his mother as she began to speak.

"We'll continue to celebrate your birthday later tonight, okay? I'll make sure to send an owl when I get to work. I have to go now." With that and one last kiss on the forehead, Shouta's mother raced out of the house, her broomstick disappearing into the sky. Shouta would have joined her, however, his severe dry eye when he flies with his parents and his independent nature, assuring them that he can take care of himself by walking less than a block to school, restricts his need for flying. But now that he was going to attend Hogwarts in less than a year, Shouta was sure that he would learn how to fly a broom. Taking a key, he grabbed his school bag, petting his family black cat (his mother's pet), walked out of his house, locked the door and took his last steps of freedom down the pavement of the secure neighborhood that many other wizards and witches lived in, probably already aware that the young Aizawa child is going to follow in his parents footsteps. Or perhaps not. For all Shouta knew, it was a blank canvas already placed inside the frame. He just needed the colors to paint whatever he wanted.


	3. Chapter 3: What Set Him Off

**A/N: Hello! So, instead of filling out a study guide for religion (which I'll have to do after this ughghg) I decided to write this next chapter. I've decided that the chapters will alternate between past and present, mainly focusing on Aizawa's story. I promise the Erasermight portion is on its way! veeeery close :D**

 **Please R &R**

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 **Chapter 3:** What Set Him Off

(Present, September 2nd)

(Midoriya's POV)

The halls of Hogwarts were clambering with students, voices filling the crowded area and bouncing off the stone walls, the moving pictures regarding the faces, old and new. Midoriya Izuku, a muggle-born first-year student who sorted into Gryffindor the night before, struggled to move between the many bodies that were also hurrying to class. However, he was sure that they didn't have to worry about their teacher scolding them as harshly as he would if he were to show up late. Looking ahead, the eleven-year-old boy saw the door to his class, and with a shout of excitement, he rushed forward, glancing at his watch.

'Two minutes,' he thought to himself, outstretching his right arm to open the door while his left held his bag fervently. Then, he made it, feeling the cool wood of the door as his fingers traced their way to the metal knob, Izuku sighed contently, hanging his head in relief and turning the knob. Hopefully, his teacher wouldn't be in there. Opening said door, Midoriya poked his head in, looking back and forth to see the classroom buzzing with excitement. Stepping fully in, Izuku caught sight of many faces that he was acquainted with last night, such as Uraraka Ochako, a Hufflepuff, and Iida Tenya, a Ravenclaw. Waving to them, he walked up, avoiding looking at a desk that held two Slytherins, Jiro Kyoka, and Bakugo Kastuki, an old childhood friend turned current bully.

"Hey there!" the anxious muggle greeted his new friends, who replied, Ochako with the same amount of anxiety and Tenya matching his anticipation. Setting his bag down next to Ochako, who sat in the middle, Izuku finally let out a deep sigh, slouching in his seat. Bringing his wrist up to his face, he saw that he made it with one minute to spare, but taking a quick inspection of the room, it seemed as if their teacher was nowhere to be seen.

Tenya was distracted on his own accord, scolding two others, Kaminari Denki, a Slytherin, and Kirishima Eijiro, a fellow Gryffindor, about using their magic to send paper airplanes around the classroom. Being raised a muggle, Izuku was still trying to take in the world that he has been exposed to, only hearing about it from Bakugo when they were kids but never truly experience it until now.

"Something wrong, Deku?" Ochako asked, noticing his distracted demeanor.

"Huh? Oh, I just noticed that it seems like everyone is here except for the teacher. And seeing as it's the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, I just thought that perhaps we'd be started on ti-" Just as Deku was finishing his sentence, the door at the top of the stairs in the front of the room slammed open, revealing their teacher; Professor Aizawa Shouta.

(Aizawa's POV)

Standing at the top of the stairs, Shouta took in the chaos in front of him. Two students were flying around an obnoxious paper airplane. Sliding his wand out of his pocket, Aizawa raised his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, the airplanes stopped in mid-air and fell as if they were made out of a heavier material than parchment. The room fell silent.

Making his way down the steps, Shouta's footsteps echoed throughout the thick air, knowing that this would create even more anxiety and fear in this class of first-years. With another flick of his wand, the window shutters shut, leaving little visibility besides the dim lighting that the chandelier above provided. That was just how Shouta liked it. Being that it was nine in the morning, this was already a bad start to his day. Reaching his desk, Shouta finally took in the mixture of emotions that sat in front of him. Raising his wand once more, and with a final sharp wave, the books that resided in front of the students flipped open to the first chapter. And if the students didn't have their books out, the said material flew out of their bags, placing themselves in front of their respective owners and flipped open at a speed that would cause major paper cuts if someone were to try and touch the books. At this point, one could hear a pin drop and hit the ground. It was that quiet.

"Hn, ten seconds for you all to shut up. That's not going to work," Shouta said in disdain. Turning around to face the chalkboard, Aizawa took the chalk in his unoccupied hand and began to write on the board as he spoke.

"As many of you should know, this is Defense Against the Dark Arts. I am Aizawa Shouta, your professor. Refer to me as Professor Aizawa, Mr. Aizawa or Aizawa-sensei." With that, he finished writing the essential on the board, such as the class name, his name, in both English and Japanese, and what he preferred the students to call him. Turning around, Shouta was now greeted not with looks of fear, but now confusion, as if these kids never heard of Japanese honorifics. Well, all but two of them graced a puzzled look. The two sitting on either side of a wide-eyed brunette. If Shouta was correct, these two would be Iida Tenya, a pure-blood from the famous Iida family in Tokyo, and Midoriya Izuku, one of the few Muggle-borns to ever be accepted into Hogwarts, the only other student that was native to Japan. The rest, even though they sported Japanese names, were from around the rest of the world, mostly Europe, Russia, and the United States. Letting out a sigh of disappointment, Aizawa set down the nub of chalk on the edge of the chalkboard, turning his attention to his students once more.

"Any questions before we get into the readings that I presume you all read, as stated in the syllabus that was sent with your acceptance letters?" Aizawa asked, listening to the quiet air fill with groans, confirming his suspicions. Quickly taking in the room as they were distracted by the expected failure of reading the first assignment before class, Aizawa noticed some, like Yaoyorozu Momo, a first generation Japanese child from the states who was placed into Ravenclaw _(which was no surprise to any of the faculty, considering she was one of the two who were accepted based on recommendation and not test scores)_ , were not upset, indicating that there must have been some promise in this otherwise disappointment of a class. Before he could open his mouth to speak, Kaminari raised his hand in excitement, his mood changing so abruptly it seemed like a jolt of electricity ran through him.

"Oh! Mr. Aizawa, you went to Hogwarts as well, yeah? Then were you here when Hogwarts was attacked by the very first League of Villains?" Silence, once more, as Aizawa just stared at the blonde who was almost jumping out of his seat. This was why Shouta thought of just canceling class. The question regarding the attack always came up the first day of class with first-years. By now he thought that they would at least give a warning as to not mention that event to him.

"Yeah…" Aizawa said through gritted teeth, trying to remain calm but unfortunately, it didn't work, as Midoriya's eyes lit up, sitting up in his seat as he joined in the one-sided conversation.

"So does that mean you know All Might?" His voice was filled with pure excitement, one akin to a child waking up on Christmas to presents under the tree. The air thickened, Shouta's eye twitched slightly, as he inhaled sharply, unable to even comprehend the question at hand. Before he could even gather his thoughts, Bakugo, a student from the states, quipped, "Aw, shut up, ya mud-blood! Ya shouldn't even talk about All Might!"

A sharp point of his wand toward Bakugo, Aizawa sent the nub of chalk flying at his student, hitting him square in the forehead.

"Ow! What the heck?!" Bakugo exclaimed, holding the palm of his hand against his forehead, covering a red welt from the assault by chalk. Aizawa stomped toward the loud-mouthed blonde, rage seething from his gaze. Bakugo shrunk back into his seat, expecting another whack of sorts, only to have Shouta reach down and swipe back the chalk. He loomed over the child, a deep frown creasing his features.

"Bakugo, don't ever say that toward anyone ever again, got it. Ten points from Slytherin," He demanded, ensuring that this wasn't even a question, but rather a command. Turning sharply on his heel, Shouta strode back to his desk, only hearing multiple breaths be released from many students behind him. Stopping at his desk, Shouta stood behind it, placing his hand on the desk before saying, "I want everyone to read the next three chapters in your books. In addition, for homework I want everyone to write three separate essays. Each must be at minimum five pages. The subjects are as followed: the causes for the Attack on Hogwarts and the following circumstances, why worshipping those such as All Might leads to nothing but a false sense of reality," with that he stared at Izuku, who returned his look with disappointment apparent in his eyes, "and finally, why terms, such as what Bakugo so generously shared with the class, should never be said. Those who do not finish the assigned readings and writings should never show up to this class again. Clear? Alright, class dismissed."

With that, Aizawa waved his wand, opening up the shutters of the room, sunlight flooding into the previously dark room, and the students' books slamming shut. The room remained silent as many students just sat for a moment, looking at the clock to see that not even ten minutes had passed in the one and a half period. Standing up, the students started to gather their belongings and exiting the classroom, only starting to speak once they passed through the door. Pocketing his wand, Shouta walked over to the staircase that leads up to his office, noticing Midoriya out of the corner of his eye going at a slower pace than the rest of the class. Quickly walking up the stairs, Shouta opened the door to his office and closed it just as swiftly. He flung off his cloak, placing it haphazardly on the back of his chair as he all but flung his body into the cushioned chair, exhaling deeply to relieve his body of the stress that he dealt with in the last ten minutes. He gripped the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut and then opening them again to look at the mess of papers that littered his desk before his gaze traveled to two framed pictures. The first one was of him, Hizashi and Nemuri, all smiling _(the other two more than himself)_ , and laughing. It was taken in the springtime of their second year at Hogwarts, near the end of the school year, almost exactly one year after the Attack. The other, however, made Shouta lean forward and grab the frame to bring the picture closer to inspect it. This one was taken around Christmas of his first-year at Hogwarts. It was set outside, the snow falling, as Aizawa smiled at the camera, as he stood by the side of Toshinori. Despite the picture being in a sepia tone, Shouta could still see the bright blue eyes and sunflower yellow of the other boy's hair. The big smile that Yagi wore made Aizawa's own lips turn up against his own will, his gaze soften at the memory of that year before his thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on his door. Placing the picture face down on his desk, Aizawa sat up, placing his elbow on his desk and resting his chin in the palm on his hand.

"Enter," Aizawa commanded, knowing exactly who was on the other side. The door creaked open as the wild green hair that could only lay atop of Midoriya's head popped in, which was followed by the rest of his body.

"Uh, sir, I was..um, just wondering if I could talk with you," Midoriya asked, his voice very quiet and meek. Aizawa sighed, only nodding and beckoning the young boy in with his free hand. Shuffling in, his head hanging low, Izuku sat down in the seat that was placed across the desk from the professor. He waited a moment, seeing if his professor would say anything before speaking up again.

"I just want to say, thank you. About Ka-chan, and what he said. We use to be friends, but then he moved to the states when we were six because his dad got a job at the Ministry branch there, and he just…changed." Izuku looked at Aizawa, meeting his sight before quickly continuing, becoming flustered, "And, I'm sorry, about bringing up All Might. I shouldn't have done that. I'm just a fan because he was also a muggle-born Wizard who became really great and didn't let anyone bash on him or call him a…you know what," Midoriya finished, muttering the final part of his speech, breaking eye contact with his professor. He waited, the silence growing thicker as Aizawa took in the small boy in front of him. Midoriya was slouched forward, alternating between twiddling his thumbs and playing with the hem of his shirt. He opened his mouth, about to speak again before Aizawa cut him off by raising his hand, finally saying his part.

"Midoriya, I assure you that in my classroom, and on this campus, that none of the staff here, including myself as I'm sure I made that apparent, will ever stand for students using that kind of language. I'm sorry to hear about your relationship with Bakugo, it's very unfortunate when people have falling outs, be it friends or more," Aizawa placed his hand on the frame that lay face down on his desk before continuing, "And no need to apologize. To answer your question, yes, I know All Might. He was the third year when I came to Hogwarts. We…knew each other." There was a pause, Aizawa waited to see if Midoriya had anything else to say, but it seemed that he didn't. With that, Aizawa stood up, as did Midoriya in response, and walked over to his door, opening it, with Midoriya following him.

"You should go so you're not late to your next class. Run along, Midoriya," Aizawa said, his mean demeanor softening to one that he typically used around another person who Midoriya reminded him strongly of. Midoriya nodded, walking out of the room, stopping before heading down the staircase and looked back at his professor.

Flashing him a smile, Midoriya nodded, saying, "Alright, even though it starts in more than an hour. Thank you, Aizawa-sensei!" With that, Midoriya, with a renewed strength and urgency, raced down the stairs, almost falling down at the bottom but he caught himself. He looked back up at his Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, giving one more smile before heading out of the room to most likely meet up with his friends. Aizawa kept his eyes on the boy, and after he exited the room, the dark-haired teacher turned around, softly closing the door and headed back to his desk.

Leaning against it, Aizawa reached down and took the framed photo of him and Toshinori in hand, looking at it once more. The looping picture of him looking up at the older boy, a visible blush on his face, as the taller boy smiled down at him, his arm wrapped around Shouta's small shoulders, pulling him closer and his body shaking with laughter. Exhaling slowly and with relief, Aizawa couldn't help but stare at the continuous loop, watching it over and over again. Watching Midoriya smile like how All Might-no, how Toshinori once did-it reminded Aizawa once more of his own time at Hogwarts. The adventures that made Aizawa choose to paint outside that canvas that his parents set for him. He couldn't believe that it started even before classes did, right where many adventures to Hogwarts began; in the great Diagon Alley.


	4. Chapter 4: The Journey There

**A/N: Here's the next chapter! I'm so happy that this has been going so well, I've been having such a grand time writing this story :) the chapters just keep getting longer and longer, haha**

 **Also, in regards to the time, because I think I should specify, the present is set in 2018 and the past is in 1998. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **Please R &R**

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 **Chapter 4:** The Journey There

 _(Past, August 30th, 1998)_

The streets of Diagon Alley were alive with hundreds of people rushing from stores to store, and therefore, bumping into the small body of Aizawa Shouta. He was pushed back and forth between multiple bodies, some large and squishy while others were lanky and boney, all while trying to keep up with his mother and father as they expertly navigated the cobble-stoned area. One step after another, Aizawa kept his eyes trained on his parent's heads, knowing very well that the long, midnight-black hair would be easy to see at the top of his father's tall demeanor. Back at home, Shouta was used to walking around the safe neighborhood that he lived in without his parents, but here in Diagon Alley, was a different case. First of all, it wasn't home. Secondly, it was an entirely different country. Looking at the eye-catching displays in the shops that lined the sides of the street, Shouta turned his attention back to his parents, who managed to stop in front of a wooden building painted dark green but accented with yellows and whites. Almost tripping over his feet as he sped up to catch up to them, panting slightly as he finally reached them, his hands resting on his knees. Bent over slightly and facing the ground, Aizawa felt his mother's gentle hand touch his back, resting between his shoulder.

"Are you okay, Shouta-kun?" His mother asked in her native Japanese, her tone a calming one to hear after fighting through the insanity that left the young wizard more frustrated than anything.

Nodding his head in affirmation, Shouta stood up straight and looked between his mother and father before answering in Japanese as well, "Yes, I am, okaa-san."

His mother smiled and father nodded, patting Shouta on the shoulder before taking his turn to speak, his low voice intimidating to many but the young Aizawa, "Now, how about you go in here, and your mother and I will finish shopping and we'll meet up at Madam Malkin's Robes to get you fitted." Shouta nodded, watching his parents give him one last look of pride and excitement, even though he may not be experiencing it right now, before moving around him, daring to enter the craziness once more. Shouta silently thanked whatever god was listening and entered the small shop.

The bell above the door jingled as Aizawa opened it. He glanced around the shop, noticing the quiet air of no other customers inside, despite the chaos just steps outside the door, and the numerous tall, wooden shelves that were packed tightly with long cardboard boxes. This was a wand shop. No wonder his parents were practically fainting at the idea that their son was one step closer to Hogwarts. Before Shouta could take one step off of the welcome mat, a man walked out of one of the aisles, carrying three boxes of wands, his brunette hair slightly unkempt and his glasses crooked, leaning to the left side of his face. Once he spotted Aizawa, a smile lit up his face. Oh god, not another perky salesperson. Shouta just wanted a wand. Unfortunately, he was already spotted and honed in on.

"Ah, why hello there! You're here for a wand, no doubt?" The man set down the boxes on a nearby table, rubbing his hands on his apron to whip away the dust and motioning for Shouta to come in, a kind smile calming the anxious boy. Shouta did so, stepping forward and to the salesperson _(or was this the owner?)_.

"Welcome to Shield's Wands Shop. I'm David Shield. The owner and sole worker at this marvelous place. I'd assume you're here for the only thing we sell?" He asked, chuckling at his own attempt at a joke, without Shouta joining. David stopped, scratching the back of his head awkwardly before commenting under his breath _(but not without Shouta hearing him)_ , "Tough kid…"

"Yeah, I'm looking for a wand," Shouta assured in English, pausing before hesitantly asking, "What…what should I do?"

"Ah! Well, leave that to me!" David replied, pulling a rolled-up measuring tape. "Now, what's your dominant hand?" Aizawa raised his right, about to respond, but David suddenly grabbed his wrist, straightened his arm out and measured it accordingly.

"How tall are you?" he continued, not looking at Shouta but rather measuring then grabbing his own wand out of his pocket, casting a spell to animate a pencil into filling out the appropriate form.

"About 152 centimeters," Shouta replied with the wand shop owner nodding in return. A quiet air ensued with only the sounds of pencil scratching paper filling it. Well, this was…exciting. Letting Shield continue with his work and answering any other questions that he needed from Aizawa, the eleven-year-old boy glanced around the shop, then his wandering eyes brought him to the window of the shop, where he spotted something strange. A tall boy, fairly muscular with a head full of bright blonde hair, long bangs framing a sharp face, was strolling around, head turning from side-to-side as he looked at the shops. It looked like he would be a few years older than Shouta. Then his head whipped around to the wand shop window, meeting Aizawa's gaze. Shouta felt his cheeks heat up and his eyes widen. Holy crap, what was happening? Those bright blue eyes left the dark-haired boy speechless. Suddenly, David stood up, catching the younger's undivided attention as he shuffled to a few shelves and pulled boxes.

"Okay, I think these will definitely work for you," David said confidently, placing three boxes down in front of Aizawa. Huh, another choice consisting of three possibilities. Reaching for the wand on the right side first, Shouta held it securely in his grasp, the handle of the wand fitting well enough in his grasp. With a prompt from David, Aizawa flicked his wand, sending a vase of roses flying against the wall. Perhaps this one wasn't it. Next, he grabbed the middle wand, another wand that was rather simple in design, such as the first, feeling less uncomfortable with this wand than the first. Looking back at the wandmaker with a raised eyebrow, Aizawa silently shook his head, setting it back in the respective box. Finally, Shouta reached for the final box, grasping the handle that boasted intricate spiral designs. The wand itself wasn't perfectly straight, but rather bent this way and that, with a twist in the middle, only straightening out at the very tip of the wand. Shouta lifted the wooden tool, surprised at how connected he felt with it. The wand fitted perfectly in his grip.

"This is a 33-centimeter ebony wand with a dragon heartstring. It's semi-flexible," David explained, "It's not that often that a wizard or which is chosen by an ebony wand." Is that so? Pointing the wand in front of him, Shouta waved the wand gracefully, noticing the instant feeling that this wand was not a separate entity, but rather an extension of his arm. A small dust cloud from the welcome mat appeared, whirling around then settled down once Aizawa lowered his wand. Taking a moment to realize what just happened, Aizawa stared at the black wand in his hand. This was the start of becoming a wizard. Looking back at David, Shouta couldn't help but feel a small smile appear on his face.

"This one," he said definitively, tightening his grip on the wand. David returned Aizawa's smile with one of his own, knowing full well how this young boy was feeling.

"Great, let's fill out the paperwork and then you pay, and we're done," Mr. Shield explained. Aizawa did as he was told, placing the wand back in its box. Once everything was finished and paid for, Aizawa stood at the entrance to the small wand shop, his own wand securely in its box, currently held safely under the arm of its new owner. He took one more look at the small wand shop before opening the door to face the crowds once again.

That was a mistake, once Shouta tried to slip past the bodies of the crowd, he felt like he was stuck in a pinball machine, being bounced back and forth. Spotting an opening next to a shop that he couldn't decipher what it was, but at the moment, it was his safe haven. Managing to wrap his fingers tightly around the metal handle of the door, Aizawa yanked it open, stumbling inside, but quickly recovered as to not cause too much of a scene. Standing up straight, Shouta took in his surroundings to realize he actually entered the pet shop.

The many animals were filling the air with their own cries, but Aizawa's eyes caught sight of movement in the corner, leading the young boy over to a glass box, where many kittens were. Being that he grew up with his mother's pet from school, Aizawa was rather fond of felines. Placing his hands the edge of the glass barrier, Shouta leaned forward, watching as some cats went to other sides where other children stood, gawking just as the young wizard was. Suddenly, a small kitten with black fur that was akin to a lion's mane padded its way up to Shouta, looking up at him with an emerald green eye on the left and a sapphire blue one on the right, and opened its mouth, letting out a small, very quiet mewl. Leaning down, Shouta put his hand on the kitten's head, feeling its soft fur under his palm and rubbing his hand back and forth, petting the kitten as it closed its eyes, purring with contentedness. Then he wrapped his hands around the kitten, picking it up to hold it at face level.

"Hi," he muttered, moving the small feline to into the crook of his arm, cradling it in his right arm as his left hand continued to pet it. He knew that Hogwarts required students to have a pet, and a cat was on the list of possibilities to bring. Not to mention, he did have Galleons left over from buying his wand. Even though his parents instructed him to buy just a wand, Aizawa couldn't imagine having any other animal companion at Hogwarts than this kitten in his arms. Looking around, Shouta spotted the line that leads to the cash register. Taking his place, Shouta couldn't take his eyes away from the small animal in his hold. After a few more minutes of waiting, he was able to pay, spending the last of his Galleons and left with his kitten in a travel carrier. He couldn't think of a name, but perhaps inspiration would hit him. Thankfully, the streets were less hectic than before.

Suddenly, he heard his mother's voice over the crowd. Turning his head toward the sound of her voice, Shouta saw her and his father walking up to him, multiple packages in hand.

"Shouta! Where have you been? We were expecting you in the robes shop ten minutes ago!" Even though his mother's body language was one of anger, her voice and face held worry. She knelt down, not caring about scuffing the knees of her pants, and wrapped her arms around her son, squeezing him tightly.

"Mom," Shouta started complaining but stopped when he realized that he must have worried both her and his father sick. Pausing, Shouta relaxed, and leaned into his mother's hold, murmuring, "I'm sorry. I just…got distracted."

"Don't do that again, okay? Besides, what on Earth could have dist-" She stopped her scolding when her eyes hit the carrier in her son's hand, pulling away to look at Shouta, then to her husband, then back to Shouta, confusion painting her expression, her mouth gaping, reminding Shouta of a fish. But this was his mother so she would be a beautiful fish.

"Shouta…Did you get a pet?" She asked slowly, watching her son nod in response. She sighed, keeping her hands on his shoulders until she stood up, deciding not to comment further. At this point, his father interjected with, "Let's go get your robes fitted, then head to the hotel, okay?"

"Okay," Shouta said. With that, their trip to Diagon Alley was finished and Shouta was one step closer to Hogwarts. However, Aizawa remembered that he never got to see that tall blonde boy again that day. Perhaps it was just his imagination.

 _(The next day, August 31, 1998)_

"Shouta, hurry!" His father urged, the small family rushing through King's Cross station, the trolley filled to the brim with all of Shouta's school supplies. His mother reached down, one hand on his trolley the other swiping her son's hand as they started to rush toward the brick wall that was three-quarters of the way between platforms nine and ten. Shouta woke up late (no surprises on his part), causing the morning rush. Closing his eyes as they approached the wall, Shouta felt a rush of energy and air as they passed through it, emerging on another side where a fantastic looking train awaited young witches and wizards, the name printed boldly on the side; 'The Hogwarts Express.' Unfortunately, Aizawa wasn't able to take in the grandeur around him, as his parents continued to usher him forward, meeting up with those who took his supplies and luggage, leaving him with his kitten in her carrier and a bag which held plenty of Galleons, Knuts and Sickles, the necessary eyedrops, his wand, and his robes. After sending his stuff away, he, his father and his mother stood at the entrance to the train car where other first-years, like Shouta, were anxiously waiting. Shouta's father hugged his son and patted him on his shoulder, giving him a proud smile of approval. His mother then knelt down, hugging her son with him wrapping his arms around her in return. He felt her soft lips against his forehead, knowing that this would be the last time he'd see them until school was finished in early June. He felt tears sting at the corners of his eyes, as his mother pulled away, so the young Aizawa quickly whipped his eyes, looking at his parents before saying, "I'll miss you, Ka-san, To-san. I love you."

"We'll miss you too, Shouta-kun. And don't forget to take those eyedrops, okay? It gets rather dry in those compartments," his mother said. She hugged him one more time, along with his father, and with that, they left.

Shouta boarded the train, his travel bag thrown over one shoulder while holding his pet carrier in his other hand. Walking the long hallway of the train, noises coming from compartments on either side of him as he strolled, trying to find an unoccupied compartment. Aizawa then felt a jerk, hearing the whistle of the train, indicating to him that he'd better find compartment fast. Picking up his pace, Shouta finally found an open space, entering it and placing his bag in the cubby above, placing his kitten's carrier on the seat across from him. Taking his seat, Aizawa was finally able to breathe. Letting his kitten out of her carrier, she ended up being nestled in his lap, his fingers calmly and gently running through her fur. This was it. Shouta was on his way to Hogwarts. He was separated from his parents; his life was in his own hands.

Suddenly, a loud knock on the compartment door brought Shouta back to reality. Turning his attention to the door, Shouta blinking, thinking that it was a trick of the light. Was…was that kid's hair in the shape of a parrot's head? And was he also carrying a birdcage with a parrot in it? Seeing that the boy was pointing at the handle, Shouta then understood what the kid was asking; he wanted to join Shouta. Sighing deeply, Shouta stood up, cradling his kitten in his arm as he unlocked the door to the compartment, opening it for the stranger.

"Aw, thanks, man!" The kid said in a rather loud volume for the small space, "I thought that I was never gonna get a spot."

"Yeah…" Shouta said, immediately regretting his decision as the abrupt change in energy hit the young boy like a brick wall.

"I'm Hizashi, by the way. Hizashi Yamada," the blonde human-parrot boy, Hizashi, greeted, struggling to put away his bag in the overhead compartment. When, after wrestling with what seemed like an eternity with his travel bag, Hizashi finally sat down, holding out his hand, waiting for his new compartment mate to shake it. Aizawa reached out with his free hand, after a few moments of contemplating, then took Hizashi's hand in his own.

"Aizawa Shouta," he replied, taking his hand back quickly, his eyes taking in this new character. The boy, Hizashi, was smiling brightly, almost jumping up and down in his spot.

"Wait…Aizawa, I think I've heard that name before. Are you from Japan? I'm from London. I'm half and half. Mum's a muggle and dad's a Wizard. What about you?" Hizashi's questions were rapid fire, making Shouta lean away, trying to sink into the seat. He couldn't keep up. However, Shouta couldn't help but enjoy himself. His life up until now was very calm, very controlled. But this English boy was already challenging that way of life Shouta was so used to. Breathing in deeply, Shouta closed his eyes, centering himself before opening them and replying.

"Yes, I'm from Japan. My Ka-san and To-san are both pure-bloods, so I guess that makes me one as well. Ka-san works at the Ministry of Magic's embassy in Tokyo as a foreign affairs minister. My To-san is an auror." Shouta took in Hizashi's reaction, seeing the boy's green eyes grow wide behind his orange-tinted glasses, his eyebrows raising in surprise.

"WOW!" Shouta's hand flew to his ears, tucking his kitten safely closer to himself. It seemed that Hizashi didn't notice, as he continued at a volume not as loud, but definitely not suited for a train compartment, "I knew it! I've heard that name so much from my dad!" Hizashi then stopped when he finally took notice of his new friend _(yes, friend as Hizashi would state later this was the beginning of it)_ covering his kitten in his lap. His hand flew to his mouth, a look of guilt on it.

"Oh god, I'm sorry I don't realize how loud I can get sometimes. I guess that's why people don't really like to hang out with me…" This was a complete one-eighty in attitude, and it left Aizawa speechless. This kid seemed very personable and kind, why would the volume be a deciding factor when it came to choosing who to be friends with? That seems so petty. Shouta relaxed his posture, leaning toward the sad boy, before speaking up.

"You know, I'd like to…be your friend," Hizashi perked up, his eyes brightening once more, "And she's fine, just sleeping right now." Shouta motioned toward his kitten, who was lightly purring in his.

"Does she…have a name?" Hizashi asked, his volume much more appropriate.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. I just can't think of one. I'm bad with coming up with names."

"How about…Eraserhead."

"What?" Aizawa was certainly confounded. What kind of name is that?

"It's one of my favorite movies! It's a weird fantasy, sci-fi movie from the states, it's so good. We should watch it," Hizashi explained. Aizawa shrugged. His kitten's eye color was certainly unique, fantastical. And besides, as he admitted, he couldn't think of a name. Meeting Yamada's gaze, Aizawa nodded in confirmation.

"Okay, she'll be called Eraserhead. Erasure for short." Then there was a knock on the door of the compartment again, this time it was a lady with a trolley full of sweets. Hizashi stood up, opening the door.

"Hello, dears. Do you want any sweets?" She asked kindly.

Shouta dug in his pocket as he asked, "Do you have any salted licorice?"

Hizashi looked at him as if he lost his mind, "Salted licorice?!"

"Yeah, it's good."


	5. Chapter 5: How They Met

**A/N: Everybody say it with me, FINALLY ERASERMIGHT! or at least they officially meet in this chapter. Sorry for making ya'll wait five chapters haha. Also, once again, it's long, which I'm happy about because stuff happens, woo!**

 **Please R &R**

* * *

 _(Past, August 31, 1996. Night)_

Once the train arrived, Shouta and Hizashi followed the rest of the first-years, Hizashi continually chatting while Shouta carried his travel bag in one hand and his pet carrier in the other. Looking around, Shouta observed how anxiety presented itself in many forms. Some faces were forefront, beads of sweat rolling down the faces of his wide-eyed future classmates as they wrung their hands together, nervous smiles plastered on while they tried to distract themselves from the upcoming sorting ceremony. Others remained calm, yet their demeanor leaked fake confidence with giant egos. Aizawa scoffed at that, looking back up at Hizashi, who only stood slightly taller than Shouta _(but that was when he stood up straight, and who needs good posture?)_ and took in his new acquaintance, or would it be his friend? Sure, they talked _(mainly Hizashi)_ on the train, getting to know each other, but Aizawa was very tentative when it came to conversing with anyone but his family. He was, what his mother called, competent yet awkward in social situations. Simply nodding in response to whatever Yamada was saying, Shouta looked ahead, spotting the final step before entering the grand doors to Hogwarts; the boats.

His father had told him about this step. Being led by a member of the faculty, usually the keeper of the grounds, the boats would lead the first-year class to Hogwarts, introducing the class in a moment of grandeur, bringing awe upon all who first set their eyes on it. Well, all but Aizawa, as he stared blankly at the building as he did with many sights. The constant babble about this school over the years made it lose its appeal even before he considered _(like it made a difference)_ what school to go to.

Walking side-by-side with Hizashi, the boys managed to find a boat after giving their traveling supplies, even their pets, to faculty who came to collect the items. Unfortunately, it was the last one available and one out of the three seats were already taken. Sighing, Aizawa tried to look around for another boat, but Hizashi quickly wrapped his long arm around the smaller boy, pulling him toward the boat, all while waving frantically at the figure sitting patiently in the boat.

"Hey, Nemuri! Glad to see you here!" Hizashi cheered, his voice booming over the other first years. Nemuri, after she stopped checking her nail impatiently, turned around, her long black hair waving freely in the slight wind. Her blue eyes, only illuminated by the candle hung in front of the boat, widen, lighting up with excitement at the sight of the blonde, parrot-like boy.

"Hizashi!" She was jumping up and down, waving back with the same amount of enthusiasm. Once Hizashi reached the boat, Shouta still _(reluctantly)_ in tow, he dropped his arm at once but placed his hand on his new friend's shoulder, gripping it proudly.

"I'd like to introduce you to someone I met on the train. His name is Shouta Aizawa. Yeah, that Aizawa, and he's from Japan!" Hizashi shook Shouta's shoulder, which made his body follow the unwilling movement in succession. The pair entered the boat, with the young Aizawa in the middle of the two friends, chattering away freely as they caught up. It seemed that they already knew each other. Hizashi looked at Shouta but motioned to Nemuri as the boat began its trip across the lake to Hogwarts.

"Nemuri's from London as well and we went to the same grade school," he explained, flashing a smile at Nemuri, one that seemed too suspicious in Aizawa's sharp eyes. Then, Nemuri turned her attention to Shouta, wrapped her arm around his shoulder.

"So, Aizawa huh?" Shouta nodded in confirmation, maneuvering himself so Nemuri's arm fell off his shoulders. He was glad that he made new connections, but Shouta still had boundaries and personal space, even though these two didn't seem to. Nemuri leaned forward in response to Shouta's unwilling demeanor, a devilish smirk plastered on her face.

"You know, you're pretty cute," she said, her grin growing wider as Shouta looked blankly at her, but a hint of embarrassment mixed in. Thankfully, Hizashi cut in again, his face in pure awe, completely forgetting whatever he and Nemuri would trouble Aizawa with.

"Whoa, look guys. We're here!" the blonde shouted, gaining the undivided attention of the other boats _(did someone just yell "yeah, so what?")_. Shouta jolted as he felt the boat jerk to the left from Hizashi's sudden surge of movement, but it quickly corrected itself, being a magical object and what not. He then sunk down into himself, his shoulders hunching over and his face turning red from embarrassment. As soon as the small wooden boat banked, Aizawa felt his face cool down as the bitter air nipped at his skin. God, he wished he had a scarf with him. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to huddle up in his robes, as the groundskeeper approached. His gray hair was cemented against his head, his skin also seemed to hold a gray tinge to it. He was a tall man with a broad stature, wide shoulders and a body that seemed to be square.

"Welcome students, I am Professor Cementoss, the groundskeeper here at Hogwarts as well as the History of Magic teacher," his voice boomed over the crowd of first-years, instantly cutting off the jabbering. Once the air was quiet, Professor Cementoss inspected the gathering, counting them before speaking once again.

"It seems that everyone is here. Follow me." With that, he turned around walking to the castle's doors. Aizawa noticed that the other students stood still, probably taken aback by the intimidating disposition of the very first professor they met. If that was their history teacher, what other personalities would they face in their upcoming education? Slowly, but surely, the crowd started to move after a brief moment, as if a much-needed collective breath was finally taken. They were here. This was the beginning of their own stories. With every student, returning and incoming, there was a new story. The doors, both figuratively and literally, were opening, allowing for a new chapter to start.

The many footsteps of the first years echoed throughout the gigantic entrance hall to Hogwarts, the sound bouncing off of the walls. With the multitude of noises echoing in Shouta's ears, he yearned for a place where the quietness that he loves so much could take over again. Perhaps once he was sorted and got to his house common room he could find that place.

Suddenly it hit Shouta as he walked side-by-side with Hizashi and Nemuri, he was going to be sorted into a house. Knowing his luck, he would end up in his parent's house, Slytherin. He really did care for and love his parents, however, the constant control over his life, already choosing to frame it as they see fit, frustrated him to no end. Yes, he's eleven, but he's a rational eleven-year-old boy. Aizawa knows he mature _(well hopefully he is)_. The closer he got to the door while walking in the middle of the crowd of first-years, next to Hizashi and Nemuri, he never felt more alone. Was it possible to have a mid-life crisis at eleven? Because it certainly felt like it to the young Aizawa, despite keeping a calm attitude on his outside appearance.

The group suddenly stopped as Cementoss hit the top of the short staircase, turning around curtly and stared down at the mixed faces of terror, anxiety, excitement, and one of complete boredom, reflecting on the uninterested face of Shouta _(no surprise there)_. However, what caught the student's attention was not the intimidating man, but rather another professor. A youthful man, who was adorned in maroon and gold colors, indicating his head position, stepped forward, now standing beside the large form of Cementoss. Inhaling deeply, the man spoke to the children after what seemed like an eternity in their minds.

"I am Professor Sorahiko, house head of Gryffindor and Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I will be overseeing the sorting ceremony. Now, behind these doors is YOUR future. You will be promptly sorted into your houses, which are the great houses of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Then, you will take your place at the respective table after being sorted. The headmaster will say a few words of welcome, then dinner will be served. Please, behave yourselves and remember, after being sorted you not only representing Hogwarts but your house as well. Outstanding behavior and triumphs will earn your house points, and failures will subsequently lose you points. At the end of the year, the House Cup will be presented to the house with the most points, quite an honor. Now, the Sorting Ceremony will begin soon. You will not only be judged by the teachers and your peers, but by the Sorting Hat as well. I tell you, be smart, be brave, be cunning, and be patient."

With that, the hearts of the students heavy with the wise words of their teacher, Cementoss turned around, placing both of his hands on the door to the Great Hall and pushed. Shouta's eyes widened as the history teacher exerted an immense amount of strength, as he estimated that those doors must need either magic or more than one person to open those grand doors. Said doors swung open, announcing the arrival of the first-years. Aizawa abruptly felt Hizashi wrap an arm around his slender frame, being pulled close by the British boy as the pair walked forward.

"I'm so excited! I can't believe it, Shouta, it's finally happening!" Hizashi whispered excitedly, shaking Aizawa back and forth.

"Yeah," Shouta breathed, his feet dragging him forward somehow despite the awesome feeling that took over his body and mind at the sight of the Great Hall before him. Walking up the stairs, each step feeling heavier with each step, Shouta's eyes flicked to Hizashi, taking in his friend's exhilarated smile instantly feeling contagious, lightly painting itself on Nemuri, and finally, Aizawa's face. When they reached the top of the steps, being driven by the crowd of students and an unforeseen force that Shouta swears he felt, but couldn't describe it if he were asked about it later on. But when the three students saw the splendor of the ceiling that imitates the night sky, the four long tables lining the hall, and the golden interior that seemed to glimmer and gleam, shone in the eyes of the first-years, leaving all _(yes, even Hizashi)_ , absolutely speechless.

Aizawa felt Hizashi's arm fall, looking down to see it swinging by his friend's side, limp. To be quite honest, it scared him slightly, but once his eyes looked around, seeing all of the smiling faces and looks of enthusiasm on the faces of the returning students, Aizawa felt another strange emotion shoot through his small body. Glancing over at the table, which top was engraved with a beautiful carving of a roaring lion, sat a person that Shouta swore was just a figment of his imagination, his mind playing tricks on him because he couldn't comprehend how fast he was growing up. The tall, lean body _(despite the fact that he was sitting down, Aizawa still felt breathless)_ , the blonde hair that looks like an imitation of a sunflower and the bright blue eyes that were…they were…Shouta suddenly felt a blush erupt on his face as those blue eyes. They were looking. No, not looking, staring, taking in his entire person. Right. At. Him. Yes, him. Aizawa Shouta. Breaking the eye contract, Shouta's hand flew to his chest, feeling his heart pounding against his ribcage. He felt silly, like a child with a crush…wait…no, he was just…anxious, that's it. Trepidation filled him, worried about what the outcome of tonight will be. It was NOT because of that boy with the sunflower hair, bangs framing a strong face, and sky-blue eyes at the Gryffindor table. Aizawa's attention was then brought up to the front, as the first-years now stood at the front of the Great Hall, right in front of a pedestal that had a raggedy old hat on display. Sorahiko stood tall beside the hat, looking back and forth at the fresh faces. A smile spread out on the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, left hand coming up to place itself lightly on the hat, his gaze following his grip before returning sharply to the students.

"This is the sorting hat. I will call your name, place the hat on your head, and you will be sorted. So," Sorahiko started, revealing his hand to wave it, summoning a long scroll in front of him, his eyes scanning the parchment dutifully, "first we will have Hizashi Yamada."

Shouta's head whipped to the boy standing at his right, seeing Hizashi freeze at his side, his breath hitching. Placing a hand on his arm, Yamada's eyes looked at the shorter boy, confused and scared.

"Go, you can do this," Shouta urged quietly. Hizashi's head bopped in understanding, steadily making his way up to the hat. He took his place beside Professor Sorahiko, closing his eyes in anticipation as the hat hit his head _(after getting past the ridiculous hairstyle, something Shouta will never get over)_. A moment passed. Then another. And on the third beat, the hat came alive, the wrinkles resembling deep-set eyes and a foul grin. It grumbled here and there, then, loud and proud, with a shout that could certainly match the child's head on which it resides, it proclaimed, "Hufflepuff!"

Hizashi let out a sigh of relief, his posture going from stiff to relaxed. The room erupted in applause and cheering. A wide grin then appeared on Yamada's face, his eyes brightening up as the hat was removed from his head. He jumped down the three steps that led the way to the hat and started to head toward his respective table. But not before putting his hand on Shouta's shoulder, leaning down and whispering in his friend's ear, "Good luck." Shouta shook his head quickly, watching Hizashi disappear behind him as he joined the Hufflepuff table.

The ceremony continued. Name after name, house after house, and after a while, the second to last student was sorted, leaving only one.

"Shouta Aizawa!" Sorahiko called, in which it was followed with murmurs filling the room, with questions of the well-known pure-blood of a ministry worker and a great Auror. Well, Shouta didn't think he would be this popular. Taking one step at a time, Shouta made his way to where many others already stood that night. Turning to look at the students before him, he saw Hizashi smile widely at him from the Hufflepuffs and Nemuri do the same from the Ravenclaws. Finally, his eyes landed on the boy at the Gryffindor table, whose intense gaze made Shouta feel a flutter in his stomach. Aizawa swiftly stared at the ground, trying to focus on anything other than him. Suddenly, a shadow appeared over his head. Oh, right, the sorting ceremony was happening. And it was his turn. Looking straight ahead, holding his best poker face, Shouta waited.

"So," an old voice crackled, taking Aizawa aback until he realized only he could hear it. It was the hat. The ragged piece of clothing continued, "What a bright mind, yet also creative. Or, is it cunningness that you hold? But you also are quite loyal…and a brave young boy, independent. Hm, Gryffindor?" A pause. "No, no. Not a Hufflepuff. What about -"

"No," Shouta cut the hat off, knowing full well what the wise one was about to deduce, " _Anything_ but that."

"I see," it pondered, "If you say so. Then, it shall be,"

"Ravenclaw!"

Shouta's eyes flew open, hearing a roar of cheers, hands applauding and Hizashi's yell of excitement. Ravenclaw? He couldn't believe it. _Finally_. This was all Aizawa could think as he was freed of the hat, his eyes taking in this new chapter of his life with gratefulness. He sped down the stairs, walking over to the table that was embellished with a raven on the table top. Hands patted his back, and sometimes rustling his messy hair, as he made his way over to Nemuri, taking a seat beside her. His ears were buzzing with excitement, his blood pumping through his body. He was in Ravenclaw.

A soft clink of a cup caught the students' attention, their heads turning to the front of the table where another man stood tall, his white hair closely cropped to his head and his features akin to that of a mouse.

"I, Headmaster Nezu, welcome everyone back to Hogwarts, to your home. Now, please, feast." With a simple raise of his hand, food appeared on the table, looking rather delicious, making Shouta's mouth water at the sight of all of the delicacies. With wide eyes, Shouta was about to reach forward, but paused, his hand hardly leaving his lap before promptly returning it. He looked around at other students who were greedily reaching forward, hands grasping and snatching up the multitude of foods before them. Even Nemuri was indulging herself, simply ignoring the self-conscious boy beside her. Taking a breath, Shouta raised both of his hands up, holding them together close to his slightly bowed head as he muttered before the food, "Itadakimasu." Even though he wasn't in Japan, he would still hold true to his beliefs and traditions. He looked up, first at the food to consider what he would reach for first, his hand reaching forward, but then he stopped abruptly, feeling a pair of eyes on him. His gaze traveling up from the table, Shouta once again felt his heart flutter as he met a pair of blue eyes. It was that older boy again. Aizawa paused, his hand floating over a plate of sandwiches, unsure of what to do or say.

"That's Toshinori Yagi," Nemuri interrupted, knocking Shouta out of his daze with a whisper, "He's a third-year from the states as well as a Gryffindor. He's on the Quidditch team and he's a Chaser. I've heard that he has a natural talent for flying a broom and playing Quidditch, probably could be the number one player if he continues the way he plays. He's also very powerful and adept when it comes to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Kinda surprising considering he's a Muggle-born." Aizawa raised an eyebrow at this information. A muggle-born? Sure, Hogwarts has boasted about its acceptance towards anyone who can use magic, but usually, the school was filled with pure or half-bloods, but hardly muggle-borns. Looking back at the boy, Toshnori, Aizawa noticed that he was now preoccupied with other students at the Gryffindor table, almost as if he completely forgot about Aizawa, despite his wandering stare that always seemed to land on the younger wizard. Feeling an odd sense of defeat, Shouta returned his attention to his own house table and the people at it, continuing to eat and, occasionally (if rarely), speak with these new faces that he will be living with for the year.

 _(Later that night)_

After dinner, the students were led to their dorms by their respective Prefects. Navigating the ever-changing staircases of the castle, the Ravenclaws finally reached their common room, settled in and, since it was late and classes were to begin tomorrow, they only had a small welcome party before everybody disappeared to their own rooms. All except for Shouta. He sat in the common room in his pajamas, sinking into the cushions on the couch as he stared at the fireplace. Leaning his head back to stare at the ceiling, he took in the night sky that was beautifully painted above, the stars literally shining and twinkling. He was finally here. Yet he couldn't help but recollect what transpired over the past twenty-four hours. The traveling, the sorting, and now, just living. Everything seemed to be happening so fast that Aizawa wasn't sure how to handle it. He certainly couldn't sleep like other first-years. Yes, some did come from other European countries, or like Toshinori, the states, but Shouta was from Japan. The eight-hour difference wasn't helping the home-sick feeling he was dealing with. So, being the independent soul, he was, Shouta slid off the couch, sliding on his slippers as he made his way to exit the common room. Sure, he could get caught and lose points for his house, but he was positive that wouldn't happen.

So, he went. Pushing the door open, he crept out into the now silent castle. It took a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, but thankfully the candles that were lining the staircase were lit, their flames flickering softly. One step at a time, Shouta slowly descended the stone stairs, trying his best not to make even a peep of a sound. The silence was thick. It seemed that if the young wizard even sneezed, the echo would be enough to wake every student. After what seemed like an eternity, Shouta made it to the bottom of the stairs, looking around to see if there was any sign of life around. It didn't appear to be so, indicating for Shouta that it was safe to walk around without getting in trouble for being out of the common room past curfew. Each step still sent the slightest echo throughout the hall Aizawa perused, but even the paintings remained asleep, showing that he was as stealthy as ever. Shouta didn't believe in making a show of oneself, it was unnecessary.

As he continued down the hall, staying close to the staircase that led back to the Ravenclaw common room, Aizawa stopped, his eye-catching a display of trophies and pictures. It was the trophy case for Quidditch here. In the middle stood a trophy gleaming as the moonlight hit it through a window. Surrounding the trophy were pictures, most likely of the winning game. The Seeker was a girl from Gryffindor, her black hair whipping in the air as the camera caught her chasing the Golden Snitch, as her hand was outstretched, fingers just mere centimeters away from the end of the game. Shouta was so enamored with this action shot that he didn't hear footsteps approaching him before the stranger spoke.

"Impressive, isn't she?" a low voice asked, shocking Shouta, making him physically jump, ready to run at any second. However, that flight response didn't occur as Aizawa remained frozen in place, his heart dropping to his stomach. Standing in front of him, in yellow pajamas with maroon stripes adorning them, was Yagi Toshinori.

The third-year grinned sheepishly at the terrified first-year, one hand resting on his hip as another one was rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, chuckling softly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Yagi apologized, reaching the hand that was rubbing his neck out, hoping to shake Aizawa's hand. "I'm Toshinori Yagi, it's nice to meet you."

Shouta's eyes flicked down to Toshinori's hand, then up to meet his eyes, then down to his hand again, being very skeptical in the moment. Instead of returning the handshake, Shouta bowed, keeping his hands at his side.

"Aizawa Shouta," he replied curtly, facing the ground rather than the now bewildered boy in front of him. Standing up straight, he finally got to have a good look at Toshinori. The older boy was about a good thirty centimeters taller than Shouta, making the younger boy take a step back to avoid having to crane his neck to look at Yagi. Like usually, Shouta seemed oddly fascinated with the color pattern of the yellow hair and deep-set blue eyes that were so striking. Toshinori's stature was lean, slightly barrel-chested, showing that he certainly cared for his body physically. It was at this point that Shouta was certain that it was Toshinori he spotted that day in Diagon Alley. As Aizawa was discerning the other student, he couldn't help but feel that Yagi was doing the same. He didn't know exactly what to do or say in this situation. However, it seemed that the Gryffindor did.

"Hey, uh, sorry about staring at you earlier. You know, during the sorting ceremony? It was just that I saw you in the wand shop's window in Diagon Alley, and I wanted to make sure I was remembering correctly. Guess I was." The blonde's hand was back at his neck, unconsciously massaging it _(most likely a nervous tick)_. Well, it would be awkward to talk, but more so to just walk away, which was usually the black-haired boy's first instincts in these situations.

"Well, I was doing the same, so I suppose we're on the same page. About being apologetic and all," Shouta muttered, finally daring to look Toshinori in the eye. Then the Gryffindor subsequently challenged this whether he knew it or not, by a smile turning up his lips, his grin baring his pearly white teeth. Having an impeccable poker face, Shouta was able to hide the flustered flutter of his stomach. Then there was another silence, before Toshinori brought his and Aizawa's attention to the trophy case, back to the looping picture of the female Seeker.

"She's great," Toshinori sighed contently upon fixating his gaze on the image. "Really, Nana's the number one reason why I was able to come to Hogwarts."

"You know her?" Shouta questioned, blinking at this revelation.

"Oh, yeah! She's actually the one who told me about the wizarding world. Nana also taught me all about Quidditch, even though I'm a Chaser now and not a Seeker like she was," Toshinori confirmed. Then he quickly scanned the area, spotting a bench diagonal from the trophy case and went to sit down on it, patting a space beside him to invite Shouta, in which the latter complied.

"I heard you're from the states," Aizawa started, choosing to stare at the ground rather than Toshinori, hands intertwined in his lap.

Nodding in response, Toshinori instead looked at the ceiling as his hands rested in his lap as well as he replied, "I am. And I'm sure you've heard I'm a muggle-born as well?" He glanced down at Shouta, to see his affirmative response. "I hope that doesn't leave a bad impression on you. I know that Muggle-born wizards and witches are popular among the magical community."

"It doesn't," Shouta automatically replied, "I don't see why it should." He shrugged, dropping his part of the conversation to avoid becoming too heated about the irrational topic of the unspoken hatred toward muggle-borns in this society.

"Thanks," Toshinori mumbled, making Shouta rattled again. God, why was he able to do that?

"So, you're from Japan, right? Is that why you were down here? Cause you can't sleep? I know I can't," Toshinori started. Shouta just nodded, opting to not reply only due to his loss of words at the moment, not wanting to upset the blonde who appeared distressed about the previous topic. Then Yagi coughed, rather violently, which caused Shouta to whip his head around, his long hair slightly obscuring his vision as he saw Toshinori's fist clenched by his mouth.

"Sorry about that. I think the air's just dry." That was an excuse, Shouta was one hundred percent certain of it. But, he also knew from his own experience that if there was an excuse, the person making it most likely didn't want to talk about the reason. Quickly changing the subject, Yagi then asked, "What should I call you? Nana, who was also from Japan, had me call her Shimura-san."

Shouta paused, slightly surprised that a person from the states would take such honorifics into considering. He then leaned forward, holding his chin between his thumb and forefinger, pondering before he answered with a shrug, "I guess you could call me Shouta-kun. I would call you Toshinori-senpai."

Nodding his head vigorously in excitement, Toshinori smiled once more at Shouta.

"Okay, sounds good, Shouta-kun!" Hearing his name come from Toshinori like that, Shouta stood up, turning his head away from Yagi to hide a furious blush that was appearing. This was definitely an unexpected twist in this chapter of his life. Pushing that aside, he looked out the window that the bench was placed in front of.

"Maybe we should head back to bed, so we don't get in trouble," he suggested. Yagi's shoulders dropped slightly, presumably disappointed at the departure of his new acquaintance. But he then stood up, taking a step toward Shouta, inclining not to reach out his hand but rather nod at the younger boy.

"Okay, have a good night, Shouta-kun."

"You too, Toshinori-senpai."

With that, the pair went their separate ways but looked forward to their next interaction.


End file.
